Dream Catcher
In some Native American cultures, a dreamcatcher (or dream catcher; Lakota: iháŋbla gmunka, Ojibwe: asabikeshiinh, the inanimateform of the word for "spider"[1][2] or Ojibwe: bawaajige nagwaagan meaning "dream snare"[2]) is a handmade object based on a willowhoop, on which is woven a loose net or web. The dreamcatcher is then decorated with sacred items such as feathers and beads.
What is a dream catcher supposed to do?
The most well known purpose of these ornamental circles of webbing, beads, and feathers is to catch dreams. When hung above a person's bed, the dream catcher issupposed to be able to trap bad dreams in its web; only good dreams are allowed to filter through a small opening in the center of the circle.
What is the point of a dream catcher?Over time, though, they caught on with most other Native American peoples. Today, they often serve as a symbol of Native American culture in general. Dream catchers were hung above the beds of sleeping children to protect them from bad dreams and evil spirits.